1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the structure of a printer that jets out ink drops from a plurality of nozzles for the purpose of printing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Existing printers marketed as consumer goods include an inkjet printer that jets out droplets of ink from a plurality of nozzles. A typical type of inkjet printer is a head shift type that has a head shifted in a direction of main scan (direction of the width of paper) for the purpose of printing. A printer head adapted to the head shift type printer includes a plurality of nozzles that are arranged in the same direction as a direction of sub scan (direction of paper feed) or a direction inclined relative to the direction of sub scan. The printer head is shifted in the direction of main scan in order to print paper over the entire width thereof.
Consequently, a displacing mechanism for displacing the printer head in the direction of main scan and a paper feed mechanism are needed as a feed driving mechanism. Therefore, the driving mechanism unit becomes complex and a higher printing speed is limited.
A full-line inkjet printer whose printer head need not be driven in the direction of main scan has been devised as a printer whose driving mechanism unit is simple and whose printing speed is high. The full-line inkjet printer has a full-line head that can print one line on paper in the direction of the width thereof, and achieves printing during one pass. Since one line in the width direction of paper is printed simultaneously, the head need not be shifted at all. Paper is transported in one direction intermittently or continuously, whereby printing is achieved line by line.
However, the aforesaid conventional full-line inkjet printer prints paper, of which width is 210 mm, during one pass. Assuming that a resolution the printer offers is 200 dpi, the printer needs as a printer head an elongated head on the surface of which ink-jet ports of nozzles of about 1600 channels are exposed. The elongated head is a product whose yield is poor and that is hard to manufacture.
Moreover, in the full-line inkjet printer, a printer head and paper or printer heads must maintain a precise positional relationship over the entire width of paper. The precise positional relationship must also be maintained in a direction in which the paper is transported. A paper holding mechanism, a paper transporting mechanism, and a printer head supporting mechanism are therefore needed to maintain the precise positional relationship.
Furthermore, there are problems that must be solved in terms of adjustment, maintenance, and management of a printer head that has, as mentioned above, numerous channels.
Accordingly, the present invention attempts to solve the foregoing problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a printer that jets out ink drops from a plurality of nozzles for the purpose of printing. In the printer, a high printing speed is attained, the costs of manufacturing can be reduced, and a compact design can be realized. Moreover, adjustment, maintenance, and management are simplified.
A printer in accordance with the present invention jets out ink drops from a plurality of nozzles for the purpose of printing. The printer consists mainly of a printer head, a transportation belt, and a printing control means. The printer head can print one full line on print paper without the necessity of being shifted in the direction of the width of the print paper. The printer head includes the plurality of nozzles. The transportation belt is an endless belt member, holds the print paper, and transports the print paper in a direction orthogonal to the width direction of the print paper. In the printer, the printing control means controls jetting of ink drops from the printer head synchronously with transportation of the print paper by the transportation belt. Thus, printing is achieved.
Another printer in accordance with the present invention jets out ink drops from a plurality of nozzles for the purpose of printing. The printer consists mainly of a printer head, a transportation belt, and a printing control means. The printer head can print one full line on print paper without the necessity of being shifted in the direction of the width of the print paper, and includes the plurality of nozzles. The transportation belt is an endless belt member, holds the print paper, and transports the print paper in a direction nearly orthogonal to the width direction of the print paper. In the printer, the printing control means controls the timing of jetting out ink from the nozzles according to a variation of an ink-jet distance, that is, a distance between the print paper, which is held on the transportation belt, and an ink-jet surface included in the printer head. This is intended to shoot the ink drops at correct points on the print paper synchronously with transportation of the print paper by the transportation belt. Printing is thus achieved.
Still another printer in accordance with the present invention jets out ink drops from a plurality of nozzles for the purpose of printing. The printer consists mainly of a printer head, a transportation belt, and a printing control means. The printer head can print one full line on print paper without the necessity of being shifted in the direction of the width of the print paper, and includes the plurality of nozzles. The transportation belt is an endless belt member, holds the print paper, and transports the print paper in a direction orthogonal to the width direction of the print paper. The printing control means controls jetting of ink drops from the printer head synchronously with transportation of the print paper by the transportation belt. In the printer, the transportation belt has a recovery area that is used to recover the ability of the printer head to jet out ink.
Still another printer in accordance with the present invention jets out ink drops from a plurality of nozzles for the purpose of printing. The printer consists mainly of a printer head, a transportation belt, a drying means, and a printing control means. The printer head can print one full line on print paper without the necessity of being shifted in the direction of the width of the print paper, and includes the plurality of nozzles. The transportation belt is an endless belt member, holds the print paper, and transports the print paper in a direction orthogonal to the width direction of the print paper. The drying means dries ink shot on the print paper. In the printer, the printing control means controls jetting of ink drops from the printer head synchronously with transportation of the print paper by the transportation belt.